Method of producing slide fasteners



Aug. 3, 1954 H. KAUFMANN METHOD OF PRODUCING SLIDE FASTENERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed June 2, 1949 INVENTOR HENRY KAUFMAN/V Q ATTORNEY 37 36 Ewas Aug. 3, 1954 H. KAUFMANN 2,685,127 METHOD OF PRODUCING SLIDE FASTENERS Original Filed June 2, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR HE KAUFMAN/v BY M JC ATTORNEY Aug. 3, 1954 H. KAUFMANN METHOD OF PRODUCING SLIDE FASTENERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed June 2, 1949 I N V E N TO R HENRY KAUFMAN/V MUC ATTORN EY Aug. 3, 1954 H. KAUFMANN 2,685,127 METHOD OF PRODUCING SLIDE FASTENERS Original Filed June 2, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 l N VENTOR f/DVR) K4 UFMANN ATTORN EY Aug. 3, 1954 H. KAUFMANN 2,685,127

METHOD OF PRODUCING sum: FASTENERS Original Filed June 2, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 l N V E NTO R HENRY KAUFMAN/V Patented Aug. 3, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,685,127 METHOD OF PRODUCING SLIDE FASTENERS Henry Kaufmann, Bronx, N. Y., assignor to Star Fastener, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application June 2, 1949, Serial No. 96,649, now Patent No. 2,612,795, dated October 7, 1952. Divided and this application August 23, 1952, Serial No. 306,020

Claims. (01. 29 410) 1 This invention relates to a method of procaution must be exercised in the selection of tape dllcillg Slide n s. he p e n pplic material, because weak material may be unable being a division of the co-pending application to stand the strain, and also because material filed June 2, 1949, Serial No. 96,649, now Patent of different stretching propertie would require No. 2,612,795. 5 careful and at times difficult adjustments in the It is primarily within my contemplation to machine. It is accordingly another object of provide a method which, in combination with my invention to avoid this shortcoming by rewire stock, will constitute an improvement over ducing the tension of the tape to a point where existing systems for fabricating slide fasteners, greater tape speed will be possible than in conwith respect to speed and cost of production, adventional apparatus-and whereby relatively justability for different sizes of fastening eleweak tape, as well as tapes of different stretchments, simplicity of apparatus required with the ability, can readily be employed with little or no method, and efiicacy of the final product. inconvenience or danger.

In many conventional slide fastener machines, A very common type of slide fastener apparatus the fastening elements produced thereby, which employs a pressure pad which is coactive with a contain the male and female interlocking elewire feeding mechanism. It has been found that ments, do not effectuate sufficiently positive clowith such machines it is a very difIicult matter sures. This is frequently due to too shallow reto make adjustments for producing fasteners with cesses for the female elements and correspondelements of different widths and pitches. To ingly low male projections, as well as to poor change from one-sized element to another redefinition of operative edges of the coactmg lockquires not only changes in the punch and die produced by rolling processes. It is accordingly nism, in the cams that operate on various feeds, one of the objectives of the present invention to and in other structural parts of the machine, so obviate these disadvantages by providing means as frequently to make it more practical to emto produce relatively dee cavities for the female ploy different machines for different sizes of elements, correspondingly higher projections for slide fastener elements than to make adjustments the male elements, and operative edges for greater therein. It is hence an important object of my definition than can be produced in most conveninvention to present a method for eliminating tional devices operating on a mass production this disadvantage and to facilitate the convertibilbasis. ity of a machine for the production of slide fas- It is also known that in methods employing teners of diiierent sizes. And inapreferred form reciprocating die members, as distinguished from of my invention, the only changes required by rolling means, for forming the male and female the use of the steps of my invention, aside from portions of the elements, the final products often clamps for clinching the elements to the tape, have the same shortcoming of shallowness above are in the dies (which in one stroke perform referred to. This is due to the need to employ embossing, notch-cutting and severing steps), the shortest possible stroke within practical and in the ratchet mechanism for feeding the limits, since otherwise production may be intertape and wire. fered with by air lock during the formation It is a further object of this invention to proof the cavity by the punch. It is my object to vide a method for employing separate adjustable avoid this difliculty, even with the employment and releasable brake means for the tape and wireof reciprocating punch and die machine comfeeding mechanisms, entirely independent of the ponents in the production of the complementary pressure pad but in cyclic relation thereto, said male and female elements. brakes being adapted to prevent overfeeding and Conventional slide fastener machines which emslippage.

ploy clinching methods to fasten the elements Other objects, features and advantages will apupon a tape are so designed that the tape must pear from the drawings and the description herebe held under tension, particularly to avoid overinafter given.

feeding or excess movement of the tape. It is Referring to the drawings:

obvious that because of this tension, the speed of Fig. 1 is a plan view of a wire strip showing the tape, and consequently of the coactive mathe male and female embossed portions, the cutchine elements, must be held within certain preout notches and the configuration of the foredetermined limits. Furthermore, considerable most portion of the strip after an element had Fig. 2 is a section of Fig. 1 taken along line 2-2 showing the shallow T-shape of the strip formed by my process and employed in combination with the apparatus to be hereinafter described.

Fig. 3 is a side view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section of Fig. 1 taken along line 4-4.

Fig. 5 is a section of Fig. l along line 5-5.

Fig. 6 is a perspective of the strip of Figs. 15.

Fig. '7 is a plan view of an element severed from the foremost portion of the strip of Fig. 1, just prior to being clinched upon the tape.

Fig. 8 is a side view of Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a perspective of the element of Figs. '7 and 8.

Fig. 10 shows the element of Fig. 9 in engagement with a tape, just prior to the clinching thereof.

Fig. 11 shows the element of Fig. 10 operatively clinched upon the tape.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a tape like that of Fig. 11, with two elements shown operatively attached thereto.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary vertical section of a machine employable with the method of my invention, taken through the cooperating punch and die components for performing embossing, notch-cutting and severing operations, showing a wire strip operatively in place, with the punch members in raised position and the pressure pad in its correspondingly elevated position.

Fig. 14 is a bottom view of the punch housing and punch components, looking upwardly in the direction of arrows 14-44 of Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary perspective of the reciprocating punch containing the parting or severing portion and the notch-cutting portion of a machine employable with the method of my invention.

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary vertical section taken substantially along line [6-45 of Fig. 19, show ing the punch in its raised condition and the wire strip operatively in place.

Fig. 17 is a view substantially like Fig. 16, but showing the punch and pressure pad in their lowered position, with the lateral notch portions cut off.

Fig. 18 is a view like Fig. 13, but showing the punches and pressure pad in their lowered positions, substantially in the position of Fig. 1'7.

Fig. 19 is a plan view of apparatus employable with the method of my invention showing the pressure pad and die portions thereof, looking generally downwardly in the direction of arrows Iii-I9 of Fig. 13.

Fig. 20 is a perspective view of the pressure pad member and dies associated therewith.

Fig. 21 is a perspective view of one of the two cooperative blocks associated with the bottom of the pressure pad housing, in slidable engagement with the pressure pad.

Fig. 22 is a perspective view of the front plate of the machine containing a pilot and a vertical arcuate groove for the bead of the upwardly moving tape.

Fig. 23 is a perspective view of the male die for forming the cavity in the wire strip.

Fig. 24. is an enlarged elevation, partly in section, illustrating the coacting die members producing the cavity and projection of a wire strip in the machine, this figure showing a preferred form of female die in the upper punch for I facilely producing the embossed portion of the strip.

Fig. 25 is a plan view, with portions broken away for clarity, of apparatus employable with the method of my invention, showing various actuating components.

Fig. 26 is a section of Fig. 25, taken substantially along line 25-46 thereof.

Fig. 27 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary elevation of the upper part of the punch housing and tape feeding and braking mechanism, looking generally in the direction of line 21-41 of Fig. 25.

Fig. 23 is another fragmentary plan view of the apparatus for practicing my invention, at right angles with respect to Fig. 25 and somewhat enlarged, showing the main shaft and cams operated thereby, to actuate the clinching arms, and a fragment of the punch housing and the wire feeding mechanism.

Fig. 29 is a fragmentary section of the wire feed mechanism and release handle therefor, taken substantially along line 29-49 of Fig. 28.

Fig. 30 is an end view of Fig. 29, and

Fig. 3'1 is a perspective view of the device of Figs. 29 and 30.

In the preferred form of the apparatus for practicing the method of my invention, as illustrated in the drawings, Figures 1 to 6 show a strip wherein certain operations have been performed by a punch in cooperation with coacting dies. Starting with a fiat or round wire stock, a preliminary wire forming operation is performed, as will more clearly hereinafter be described, to produce the wire strip (Fig. 2), containing a flat base 36 and a medial raised portion 3'5. The conversion of a conventional flat or round stock wire to the form illustrated can be accomplished by any conventional method; but, as will hereinafter be shown, coacting rollers to produce the strip 35 may, within the contemplation of this invention, be employed in conjunction with the feeding and forming mechanisms constituting the apparatus of my invention.

By the method of my invention, a single stroke produces the embossed portion 38, the cutting out of the notches 39, and the severing of the foremost portion ii) along arcuate (dot-dash) line Al. The punch and die components are so spaced that there is an interval of several embossed portions between the rearmost portion 38 and the lateral notches 39, the latter being preferably directly behind the foremost notches 42. The severing operation produces the element 43, with conventional jaws M which, when clinched against the tape (Figs. 10 and 11), will embrace the beaded portion 46 in known manner, thereby producing a fastener section like that shown in Fig. 12.

Due to the raised medial portion 31, it has been found that sufficient material is provided to enable relatively deep cavities 41 to be formed in the wire, with correspondingly relatively high projections 48. This enables a firm interlocking engagement between the cooperating fastener elements, and it has been found that such interlocking engagement is considerably more secure and positive than is possible with the smaller cavities and projections resulting from rolling or other conventional methods of producing a preliminary wire strip or embryo elements. Furthermore, as will more clearly hereinafter appear, since the embossing operation that produces the cavities and projections are performed by coacting punch and die members, the edges of the complementary locking portions of the fastener elements are sharper and more closely fitted than in the case of rolled embossed portions.

Although it has long been recognized that deep cavities 41 are advantageous, it has heretofore been found ineffective to employ rolling means to obtain the desired depth; and it has similarly been found to be impracticable to employ conventional punch and die means therefor, since the material employed for fastener elements will not normally stand the strain or stretch to produce cavities and projections such as are obtainable with my method. The additional material comprising the medial raised portion 31 in the T-shaped strip 35 enables relatively large cavities 47 and projections 48 to be made, as aforesaid. The common danger of air-c resulting from too deep a stroke within relative thin material, has been found to be entirely eliminated by employing a strip like wire 35 above described. Also, as will hereinafter be set forth in greater detail, the medial raised portion 3? permits the employment of a female punch having a recess 49 (Fig. 24) permitting freedom of expansion of the pressed-out metal of projection 48a.

Because of the shape of the cavities and projections 41 and 48, respectively, and the general configuration of stri 35, as well as the method of producing same, it has been ascertained that production speeds can be greater than with conventional methods, greater strokes can be employed in the punch mechanism, and more effective and secure interlocking produced with the finished slide fastener products.

In the preferred method of fabricating slide fasteners according to my invention, I employ a reciprocating punch mechanism 56 movable within a punch housing 5|. The said punch mechanism comprises the punch holder 55a and two punch components, the embossing member 52 and the notch-cutting and severing member 53, operated by reciprocating means to be hereinafter described.

Member 52 contains the recessed female punch portion 54, which is adapted to cooperate with the stationary male die member 55 in the base 56 of the machine, to form the cavities and proabove described.

The punch member '53 is set forwardly of member 52 and contains the arcuate cutting portion 51 proportioned to produce the cut indicated by the dot-dash curve upwardly and rearwardly sloping central wall 59 therebehind. The lateral contain the channels 58a and 59a, terminating in V-shaped recesses 60 and SI. The lowermost edges 62 and 63 and said V-shaped recesses 65 and 6!, respectively, constitute the cutting edges for removing excess material from the lateral sides of the strip to form the notches 39 (Fig. 1). Extending into the channels 58a and 59a are the guides 64 and 65 (Fig. 14) with which the punch member '53 is slidably engageable-the said guides being parts of the clamps 66 and 67, in threaded engagement with the bolts and the punch mechanism 50.

The said base 56 of the apparatus (Figs. 13, 18, 19) contain the die block ts containing the upwardly projecting male die element 55 cooperat- 4| of Fig. 1, there being an i ing with recess 54 in punch member 52, as aforesaid. Slidably disposed within base 56 is the pressure pad 10, a perspective view of which is clearly shown in Fig. 20. This member is normally urged upwardly by spring II to an uppermost position, shown in Fig. 16, in which the shoulders 12 limit its upward movement when it engages the bottom surface 13 of base 56. Said pressure pad also contains the arcuate in vertical alignment with the corresponding ar cuate portion 51 of the punch 53. The V-shaped lateral grooves 15 and 16 are adapted to cooperate with the corresponding V-shaped portions 60 and GI of the upper punch member 53, in obvious manner.

The blocks 17 and 78 (shown in perspective in Fig. 21) contain the guide walls 19 extending into the V-shaped grooves 15 and 15, as shown in Fig. 19, thereby maintaining the pressure pad in is the upwardly preferably about one-third the strip 35, the in- 87. The clamps 88 and 89, secured to base 56 by studs 90, have inwardly protruding portions 9!, which engage the blocks 8'5 and 86 and hold them together with the plate 80 and other components of base 56, in proper relative positions.

In the operation of this device, the wire strip As will be seen from Fig. 13, when the punch members 52 and 53 are in their raised position, the pressure pad 10 is also in its raised position, and the wire strip rests upon die element forwardly and flank the arcuate recess 8! of plate 80.

It will be observed that upon a downward operative stroke of punch members 52 and 53, the

move down- TI; and since both the strip and pressure pad to wardly against the action of spring the coacting punch and die elements 5:; and 55 have formed an embossed portion in the Strip 35, the entire strip will be depressed to the position shown in Figs. 17 and 18.

It will be further observed that the punch member 53 has downwardly extending heels 92 and 93. These embrace and are in slidable engagement with the adjacent lateral sides of the upper portion of the pressure pad 10-but are above and never in engagement with the intermediate shoulders 94 of the pressure pad, even when the punch 53 is in its lowest position (Fig. 17). This assures freedom of action of the foremost portion 40 of the wire strip 35, and enables it properly to settle itself over the pilot 83.

The actuating means for operatively moving the punch mechanism and feeding the wire and tape are disclosed in Figs. 25 to 31. A main shaft 05, actuated by any known means, has mounted thereover the two cams 06 (Figs. 25 and 28). These cams are in engagement with the punch actuating arm 91 pivotally mounted at 98, so as to cause oscillations of said arm. Extending forwardly from said arm 91 is the actuator 99, through which extends the stud I adjustably held in position by nut I0 I. The lower extremity of stud I00 is in engagement with the beam I02 urged upwardly by the springs I03, mounted within the upper portion of the punch housing 5I. Said beam is attached to punch mechanism 55, the details being omitted inasmuch as they are well understood by those skilled in the art. It is thus obvious that an oscillation of arm 91 will cause a corresponding reciprocation of beam H12, and corresponding reciprocating operative strokes of said pun'ch members.

Operatively associated with the main shaft is shaft I05 upon which are mounted the eccentrics I05 and I01, the former being operatively associated with the wire feed pawl I08 and latter with the tape feed pawl I09. It is apparent that upon an operative rotation of eccentrics I06 and I0! in known manner, the pawls I08 and I09 will be moved forwardly and rearwardly, the total operative movement of the pawls being dependent upon the throw of the respective eccentrics. Pawl I08 is urged against ratchet wheel IIO by the spring III, and pawl I09 is urged against ratchet wheel I I2 by spring II3.

Upon each operative movement of pawl I08, the ratchet wheel H0 will be moved forwardly a distance equal to the pitch of one tooth. This will cause intermittent rotar movements of the shaft I I4 upon which wheel I I0 is mounted. Affixed to said shaft H4 is the roller I I5, which cooperates with the roller IIS thereabove (Fig. 29), said last mentioned roller containing a peripheral groove II1 therein to accommodate the medial raised portion 31 of the wire stock 35. To effect a positive feeding motion, the surface I I0 of the feed roller I I5 is knurled; and the shaft II4 is provided with a gear H9 in engagement with gear II9a of shaft I20, upon which the upper roller I I6 is mounted.

The upper roller H6 is disposed between the bifurcated walls I2I of the block I22, the shaft I20 of upper roller IE6 being rotatably mounted within said bifurcated portions. The block I22 is pivotally mounted at I23, and contains a rearwardly extending handle I24 for manual manipulation. The underside of block I22 contains a recessed groove I25 to slidably accommodate the raised portion 31 of the wire 35. Below the block I22 is a base member I26, with a groove I2! in the longitudinal registry with groove I25 and adapted slidably to accommodate the raised portion 31 of the wire 35. A spring I28 exerts upward pressure upon base I26, whereby the upper roll H6 is yieldably urged downwardly against the wire strip 35 and towards the lower roller H5.

The arrangement hence is such that intermittent operative movements of wire feed shaft II4 will cause the wire strip 35 to move forwardly intermittently into the apparatus. The frictional engagement of the rollers H5 and IIS with the wire stock 35 causes a brake action and prevents over-feeding. Should it be desired to release the wire 35 from the pressure exerted thereupon by rolls H5 and IIB, the handle I24 is depressed against the action of spring I28, thereby elevating roller H0 and in this manner freeing the wire strip 35.

The main brake mechanism to prevent overfeeding of the wire is the brake shoe I50 (Figures 25 and 26 slidably disposed within housing I5I and urged by spring I52 against the drum I53 affixed to shaft II4-the nut I54 on stud I55 being manipulable for adjusting the frictional engagement of the brake shoe and drum. The arrangement is such as to permit a rotation of shaft I I4 for feeding the wire, and yet prevent an overfeed due to the speed of rotation.

The tape feeding pawl I09 similarly actuates the ratchet wheel H2 in the manner aforesaid. As will be seen from Fig. 25, ratchet wheel H2 is connected to bevel gear I20 which is in engagement with gear I30 operatively connected to the knurled tape feeding drum I3I. Intermittent rotary movements of ratchet wheel II2 thus causes corresponding rotary movements of the drum I3I to cause operative movements of the tape 45 towards an outlet portion not shown (see also Fig. 27).

Since the pawls I08 and I09 derive their operative movements from eccentrics mounted on one shaft, it is apparent that they both will perform their operative functions in timed relation with respect to each other and the actuating shaft I05, and since such shaft is associated, as aforesaid, with the earns 96 (on the main shaft), these operating the punch members, it is evident that the pawls I08 and I09, and consequently the wire and tape feeds, operate in predetermined timed relation with the punch members.

It will also be observed (Fig. 28) that the said main shaft has mounted thereover a cam I32, this being of conventional construction and proportioned to cause the pivotally mounted arms I33 to move outwardly against the action of spring I34 and thereby to bring clinching elements I35 into coactive clinching engagement with the jaws of the foremost attached element embracing the tape 45all in known manner. It is thus apparent that all the operations are performed in predetermined synchronized and timed relation.

As shown in Figs. 28 and 29, the raw wire stock 35a is fed to rollers I35 and I3? to form in said stock the medially raised portion 3?. The formed wire 35 is pulled through the rollers I36 and I31 by the action of the aforesaid rollers I I5 and I I5.

In order to prevent an over-feeding of the tape 45, the method of my invention contemplates the use of a brake mechanism such as is shown in Fig. 27. This comprises a brake block I38 with a lower arcuate surface I39 in slidable engagement with the tape 45 as it is being moved by drum I3I. In other words, surface I39 frictionally engages the tape 45 and yieldably urges it, by the action of spring MI, against the surface of the drum, so that there is a constant braking action on the drum I 3| and tape, to prevent an over-feeding. The brake block I38 slidably moves within housing I40 which also contains the spring MI. The block I38 has connected thereto the rod I42 which extends through the cam block I44a to which is attached the downwardly inclined handle I 44. The pin I43 extends transversely through the rod I42 and block I44a, so that when the handle I 44 is raised, the block IMa Will be tilted upwardly, to elevate the pin I43, whereby rod I42 together with brake block I 38 will be elevated against the action of spring I4I. This will release the pressure upon the tape 45, whenever that may be required.

From the above description, it is apparent that the method and apparatus of my invention makes possible the accomplishment of the objectives hereinabove referred to.

With respect to the tension in the tape 45, it will preventing an overfeeding or excess of movement of the moving tape 45, there is no need to employ the expedient of tensioning the the tensionmg expedient is employed to prevent over-feeds.

It is also important to note that the elimination of tension in the tape also permits greater tage, as aforesaid, of a greater depth of interthis raised medial portion results in still a further important adprotuberance 48a in the wire. In the preferred construction shown in said figure, the rear wall I46 is vertical and the rear portion I41 of the top or roof of the cavity is horizontal or at right angles to wall I 45. This provides the space 49 and prevents a constriction of protuberance 48a, such as occurs with conventional female punches or dies, proportioned to the exact configuration of the required protuberance. This construction has been employed over a considerable period of time, and it has been found that not only are efiicient slide elements produced, but also that there are no air-lock effects, as generally occurs when relatively thin material must be stretched device from a strip of 10 over a male punch or die, with no clearance such as is provided by space 49.

In the event it is desired to adjust the machine for producing fastener elements of different widths and pitches, all that need be done is to change a few parts, to the punch members and can be effected quickly, particularly when interchangeable parts are provided for in advance. This arrangement is hence considerably more flexible than most known conventional machines, particularly those producing embryo by rolling operations.

above description, the invention has is not limited to any practicing same, except insofar as such limitations are specified in th appended claims.

I claim:

portion and two lateral jaws extending forwardtherefrom, the embossed portion having a cavity on one side and a corresponding projection on the opposite side, the steps of pressing a continuous strip of wire stock to form a strip having a flat base and a medial raised portion therealong, and thereafter pressing in said formed strip along said raised portion a longitudinally disposed series of cavities and corresponding projections constituting said embossed portions, and

2. In a method of manufacturing slide fastener elements each comprising an embossed therealong, and thereafter simultaneously punching out in said formed strip along said raised portion an embossed portion with a bottom cavity and corresponding punching out two lateral notches at a section periphery defining the element.

3. In manufacturing an embossed slide fasfrom the base of said raised portion a longitudinal series of cavities and projections, whereby embossed portions are formed from th raised portion of said strip, and severing the strip to separate therefrom said embossed portions.

4. In manufacturing an embossed slide fastener 11 the base of said medial portion a longitudinal series of cavities and projections, whereby embossed portions are formed from the medial portion of said strip, and severing the strip to separate therefrom said embossed portions.

5. In manufacturing an embossed slide fastener device from a strip of flat wire stock having a flat base and a raised portion, the steps of simultaneously applying a female die member to said raised portion and a male die member to said fiat base, and applying pressure between said members, to form in said raised portion a longitudinal series of cavities and projections, whereby the strip is prepared for its subsequent division into individual fastener elements.

2 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Gilmore Aug. 11, 1936 Prentice May 10, 1938 Legat May 10, 1939 Poux Aug. 8, 1939 Ulrich Feb. 2'7, 1945 Voity Aug. 23, 1949 Kaufman Oct. '1, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Oct. 3, 1928 Germany Nov. 21, 1931 

